Can-opener.



1 No. 741,276. PATENTED OCT. 13, 1903.

G. 0. REDPATH.

CAN OPENER;

APPLIOATION FILED JUNE 2a, 1903. N0 MODEL.

winks-s66 Patented October 13, IQOS.

ATENT Tricia.

GEORGE O. REDPATH, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

CAN-OPENER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent N 0. 741,276, dated October 13, 1903.

Application filed June 28, 1903. Serial No. 162,767. (No model.)

To aZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, GEORGE O. REDPATH, a citizen of the UnitedStates, residing in the city of New York, borough of Brooklyn, and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Can-Openers, of which'the following is a specification.

Can-openers as heretofore marketed when simple and inexpensive were not very efficient. They were either frail and easily bent or broken or cut slowly and irregularly and required skill and considerable exertion to operate them properly. ,Those can-openers which were strong,worked rapidly,made even cuts, and were easily operated were quite complicated and expensive.

The object of my invention is to provide a strong, simple, and inexpensive can-opener which may be applied to cans of different sizes and will cut evenly and rapidly with but little physical exertion.

In carrying out my invention I form the can-opener of as few parts as possible, preferably using cast metal for all parts except the cutting-blade, which is made of steel. The blade is secured to a disk which is pivotally connected with a frame formed integrally on one side with a clamping-jaw and on the opposite side with an arm carrying the opposing jaw, which is adjustable toward and from the cutter-carrying disk by means of a nut engaging a screw-thread on the arm. The disk is formed with an annular series of teeth, with which engages a pinion formed on an arm projecting laterally from the inner end of the crank-handle, which latter is made detachable, so that it may be readily packed with the other parts of the mechanism for transportation. The clamping jaws are formed with teeth that engage the can, and these teeth are so arranged as to adjust themselves to cans of different sizes. There are but few parts and, as before stated, may all be cast, so that the mechanism may be at the same time strong and inexpensive and, as will hereinafter appear, will operate rapidly, easily, and efficiently.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a top plan view of my improved can-opener. Fig. 2 shows a longitudinal central section thereof. Fig. 3 shows a transverse section on the line 3 3 of Fig. 2. Fig. 4 is a detail ing the cutting-blade to its carrying-disk.

Fig. 7 shows a side elevation of the main cast-.

ing, comprising the central frame, one of the clamping-jaws, and the threaded arm which carries the other clamping-jaw. Figs. 8, 9, and 10 are diagrams showing the manner in which the jaws grasp cans of different sizes.

The frame A is formed integrally with a clamping-jaw and with a laterally-projecting arm 0, carrying the opposing jaw B, which is preferably somewhat larger in dimensions than the jaw B. The arm C is preferably plane or flattened on its opposite vertical sides and has coarse or quick screw-threads on its upper and lowersurfaces. The arm 0 passes through an opening (1 in the jaw D, which latteris movable freely endwise on the arm without turning. Anut E,engagingthe screw-thread, has wings e, by which it maybe manipulated and an annular flange e, entering a groove fin a lugf on the nut. By this device the jaw D may be readily moved toward and from the jaw B, and cans of different sizes may be accommodated. With but little exertion the nut may be made to firmly clasp the jaws on the can, so as to rigidlyconnect the frame therewith.

By reference to Figs. 8, 9, and 10 it will be observed that the outer ends of both arms of the jaws are formed with teeth that engage the can. The teeth 1, 2, and 3 on'the jaw D are respectively adapted to engage cans of small and gradually larger diameter, being set at different radial distances from the axis of the disk G, carrying the cutter, hereinafter more specifically referred to. The teeth 4, 5, and 6 of the-jawB are preferably similarly arranged.

The frameA is formed with an enlarged portion a between the jaw B and the arm 0, and this portion a is formed with a recess a on its under side to accommodate the cutterdisk G, which is pivoted to the frame by means of a pin H, headed at h beneath the disk and riveted to the frame at its upper end. The disk is formed with an annular series of teeth 9 and carries on its under side a cutter I consisting of a blade 7: and a laterally-projecting arm 4 which fits a recess h in the disk andis held therein bya rivet 71 A boss J, formed on the frame A above the jaw B, has a central opening j extending through it, and about midway between its ends the opening is enlarged into a narrow annular groove j, with which connects a straight lateral groove j extending to the outer end of the boss. The openingj receives the arm is of the crank-handle K. This arm is formed integrally with teeth 70, which engage the annular series of teeth g on the cutter-disk G. On the arm kis formed a lug M, which is adapted to slide in the groovej when the pinion is being inserted into the opening j. When the pinion has entered to the full extent and the teeth kengage the teeth 9, the stud k enters the groove j. Preferably the groove j is at the bottom of the opening j, and the lug k projects from the arm 70 at an angle to the handle K, preferably at right angles, as shown, so that in order to apply the handle itis necessary to arrange it horizontally, as indicated in Fig. 1; but after the lug has entered the groovej the handle will fall if released and the lug will enter the groovej,passing away from the groovej By this'means a secure connection between the handle and the pinion is obtained, and the handle cannot be removed unless the lug k registers exactly with the groove 7' The usual position of the handle, however, is such the cutter may with case be rapidly rotated with sufficient power to cut metal of any thickness from which cans are ever made.

The opener may be applied,as before stated, to cans of various sizes and also of various shapes. When the can is very large or of oblong shape, two or more openings may be made, if desired.

As before stated, most of the parts are preferably made of cast metal, and they are very few in number, and hence, although the opener is very efficient, it may be made inexpensively.

I claim as my invention 1. A can -opener consisting of a frame formed at one end in one piece with a clampw tars ing-jaw, and at the opposite end in one piece with a threaded arm, a jaw supported on said arm, a nut on the frame engaging the jaw, a toothed cutter-carrying disk pivoted to the frame between the jaws, and a handle having bearings in the frame and formed integrally with a pinion detachably connected with the disk.

2. A can-opener comprising a frame, a rotary cutter carried thereby, jaws connected with the frame arranged in the same horizontal plane as the cutter on opposite sides thereof, adapted to engage the top of a can and one of which has teeth set at different radial distances which are adapted to engage cans of different sizes, means for adjusting one of the jaws toward and from the other, and means for rotating the cutter.

3. A can-opener comprising a frame, arotary cutter-carrying disk connected therewith, jaws connected with the frame, one of which has teeth set at different radial distances, means for rotating the cutter, and a nut engaging one of the jaws for adjusting it toward and from the other.

4. In a can-opener, the combination of a cutter and means for operating it, of clamping-jaws arranged inthe same horizontal plane as the cutter, adapted to engage the top of a can and one of which has teeth set at different radial distances adapting it to engage cans of difierent sizes, and means for adjusting one of the jaws toward and from the other.

5. A can-opener,comprisinga frame formed witha clamping-jaw and with a laterally-projecting threaded arm, a clamping-jaw supported on said arm and movable endwise thereon without turning, a flanged nut engaging the jaw and adjustable on the threaded arm, a cutter-carrying disk pivoted to the frame between the jaws, and means for rotating the disk.

6. A can-opener comprising a frame formed with. a clamping-jaw and a boss, an adjustable jaw connected with the frame, a cuttercarrying disk having an annular series of teeth, a handle formed with a laterally-projecting pinion on its inner end, and a lug on this pinion adapted to enter a lateral groove in the boss and pass into an annular groove therein, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto subscribed my name.

GEORGE O. REDPATH.

ICC 

